Blizzards, Beds, and Teenagers
by Lt Col Sarah MacKenzie Rabb
Summary: A blizzard comes to Stars Hollow, trapping Luke and Lorelai in the diner overnight.
1. Blizzards

DISCLAIMER: I don't own them, that's Amy Sherman-Palladino. (Though I would take Luke off her hands any day!)And "Sweet November" belongs to whoever made the movie...I forget who it was.  
  
"More coffee, please," Lorelai said sweetly, holding out her cup.  
  
Luke gaped at her from behind the counter, where he was cleaning up. "More? You've had six cups already."  
  
"Come on, Luke," she pleaded. "It's been a long day."  
  
He shook his head. "No way."  
  
Lorelai pouted at him, and pulled on her jacket. "Fine. I'll go home and make my own...alone." She had already told him that Rory was spending the night at Lane's.  
  
"Fine."  
  
She started toward the door, and then stopped abruptly. "Or not."  
  
"What's wrong now?" Luke asked, not looking up.  
  
"Look."  
  
Finally, he raised his head and followed her gaze. "Whoa..."  
  
Outside, a blizzard was in full swing. They could barely see to the edge of the sidewalk. Lorelai's Jeep was already a snow-covered lump, barely distinguishable as a vehicle.  
  
"No wonder I'm the only one here," Lorelai mused aloud.  
  
"Well, you can't drive home in that," Luke told her, walking past her and peering through the glass door. "You'll have to stay here." He paused, then added, "If you want to."  
  
"What about Jess?"  
  
Luke shrugged. "He's visiting friends back home."  
  
"Are you sure you don't mind?"  
  
"Of course I don't mind."  
  
"Well...okay, then," Lorelai agreed. "I'll call Rory and let her know."  
  
Ten minutes later, they were sitting upstairs in Luke's apartment. Lorelai had spoken to Rory, and they agreed to meet in the diner the next morning. Luke had closed up, since people would have to be crazy to go out in this storm. Now they were trying to figure out what to do.  
  
Looking at her watch, Lorelai said, "Well, it's only 7:45. We can't go to sleep yet."  
  
Luke sighed. "We could watch a movie."  
  
She sighed, too. It was doubtful they could agree on one. "Sure. Why not?"  
  
Opening a cabinet below the television, Luke produced a cardboard box. "Let's see if we can find one in here."  
  
They rooted around in the box for a few minutes before Lorelai pulled one out. "Hey, let's watch this."  
  
Taking the videotape from her, Luke examined the cover. "Sweet November? How did this get in here? Must've been Rachel's."  
  
Lorelai winced at the name, but nodded. "Probably. Anyway, let's watch it!" She smiled. "I think you'll like it."  
  
Reluctantly, Luke agreed, and started the tape. Turning out the lights, he looked around for a place to sit. Lorelai was stretched out on the sofa, so he settled himself on the floor. Leaning against the front of the couch, he prepared himself for the movie. 


	2. Beds

  
  
A couple hours later, the movie was over. Much to his surprise, Luke had enjoyed it...although he wouldn't admit that to Lorelai. "You know," he said instead, "Angelica looked a lot like you."  
  
Lorelai laughed. "If you say so." She yawned. "We might as well go to sleep."  
  
"All right," he agreed, getting to his feet and turning on the light. "You can take the bed; I'll sleep on the couch."  
  
Lorelai sat up. "No way. You can't sleep on this."  
  
"What's wrong with my couch?" Luke asked, insulted.  
  
She looked at him. "I wouldn't even make my mother sleep on this thing."  
  
Luke tried not to smile, but he couldn't help it. "Ouch. Okay, well, where do you expect me to sleep?"  
  
Lorelai looked around, then sighed. "Luke, we're adults. I'm sure we can share the bed."  
  
He nodded. "Sure."  
  
Looking down at her clothes, (a lavender silk blouse and a short black skirt), Lorelai stood up. "Do you have a t-shirt or something I can sleep in?"  
  
Crossing to the closet, he rummaged through its contents. "Here," he said, tossing her a green plaid flannel shirt. "It's warmer than a t-shirt, anyway."  
  
"It's fine," she said, heading for the bathroom. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
A few minutes later, Lorelai returned to the bedroom. Luke had changed into a black t-shirt and sweatpants, and was turning down the covers on the bed. He looked up, and had to smile. The flannel shirt came to just above her knees, and the sleeves covered half her hands. Her hair had been pinned up, but now it was settled in loose curls around her shoulders. She looked beautiful. "Which side do you want?" he asked.  
  
"This one, I guess," Lorelai replied, tossing her clothes on the couch and sitting on the edge of the double bed.  
  
"All right. Good-night." Luke shut off the light, and they slid under the covers. They stayed as far apart as they could, facing away from each other.  
  
After a few minutes, Luke realized Lorelai was shivering. He rolled over and looked at her. "You okay?"  
  
"Mm-hmm," she replied quietly.  
  
He propped himself up on his elbow. "Come on, I can tell you're shivering."  
  
She finally turned to face him. "Well, it is pretty cold in here."  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," Luke answered apologetically. "The heater's broken, and I haven't had time to fix it." Pausing, he reached for her. "Come here."  
  
"Why?" Lorelai asked warily.  
  
"Just come here."  
  
She moved closer to him, and he pulled the covers up around them. Then he put his arms around her and pulled her close.  
  
Instantly, Lorelai felt warmer. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem." He held her closer, and she laid her head on his chest.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Luke smiled. "You said that already."  
  
Lorelai shook her head. "No, I mean for everything. Letting me stay here, lending me a shirt from your endless supply of flannel..."  
  
"I could just let you freeze, you know," Luke said teasingly, pulling his arm back.  
  
"No!" Feeling his arm slide back around her, Lorelai blushed. She hadn't meant to respond that eagerly. But she snuggled closer to him, and smiled. "Good-night, Luke."  
  
"Good-night, Lorelai." 


	3. Teenagers

By morning, the blizzard had let up. Rory left Lane's at 10:30, and trudged through knee-deep snow to Luke's Diner. The door was unlocked, and she let herself in. "Mom? Luke?"  
  
"Hey."  
  
Rory jumped as Luke's nephew popped up from behind the counter. "Jess! I didn't expect you to be here. I thought you were visiting friends."  
  
Jess shrugged, and handed her a cup of coffee. "I just got back."  
  
"Where's Luke?" Rory asked, dropping her overnight bag on the counter.  
  
He shrugged again. "I don't know. Upstairs, probably."  
  
"Does he know you're here?" Rory asked, sipping the hot drink. It felt great after being out in the snow.  
  
"Probably not. I haven't been up there yet."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Jess poured himself a cup of coffee. "Even covered in snow, I recognized your mom's Jeep. She's up there."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Who knows what I might walk in on?"  
  
Rory laughed. "They're just friends, Jess."  
  
"Sure," Jess responded skeptically. "Whatever you say."  
  
"Come on," she insisted. "I'll go up there with you."  
  
Jess shook his head in disbelief. "Why not? Let's go."  
  
The pair headed upstairs, and Jess unlocked the apartment door. "You first."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes, and pushed open the door. "Mom? Luke?" she called out softly, in case they were still asleep. Not getting an answer, she stepped into the apartment.  
  
Jess led her to the part of the living room where Luke's bed was, and pointed to it. "What'd I tell you?" he said, crossing his arms over his chest smugly.  
  
Rory's eyes grew wide. Luke and her mother were in bed together. Not just sharing a bed, but holding each other! "But...but..." She started to get upset, then looked at her mother. Even asleep, Lorelai was smiling. Turning to Jess, Rory gestured to the door. "Let's let them sleep."  
  
Jess shrugged, and led the way downstairs.  
  
When Lorelai woke up, she wasn't sure where she was for a second. Then she felt Luke's arms around her, and she remembered: the blizzard. Looking at him, she saw that Luke was still asleep, so she laid her head back on his chest and glanced quickly at the alarm clock before closing her eyes again.  
  
Instantly, her eyes shot open. 11:45! Rory was probably waiting for her downstairs, stuck outside the locked door. "Luke!" she said, shaking him gently.  
  
"Hmm?" he answered groggily, hugging her closer.  
  
Lorelai slipped from his arms and got up. "Wake up! It's almost noon."  
  
Luke sat up straight, fully awake now. "What? You're kidding."  
  
"I'm not," she replied, heading for the door. "Rory's probably waiting outside downstairs, so I'm gonna go let her in."  
  
"All right." Luke climbed out of bed and crossed to the bathroom. "I'll get dressed and meet you down there."  
  
Lorelai nodded, and left the apartment. She hurried down the stairs, and started for the door.  
  
"Mom!"  
  
Suddenly, Lorelai realized that Rory was sitting at the counter, a surprised look on her face. Jess was behind it, making a sandwich, and he glanced at her.  
  
"Whoa!" he yelped, turning red and quickly looking away.  
  
Lorelai looked at him strangely, then turned to Rory. "What?" she mouthed at her daughter.  
  
With wide eyes, Rory pointed at her clothes.  
  
Glancing down, Lorelai gasped. She was still wearing Luke's shirt! "Um, I'll be right back," she said, turning and fleeing up the stairs. She flung open the door to the apartment, and then it was her turn to blush and turn away. Luke was standing by the closet, clad only in a pair of plaid flannel boxer shorts.  
  
"Lorelai!" he exclaimed, grabbing a pair of jeans from a hanger and yanking them on. "Sorry. I didn't expect you back so soon."  
  
She turned back to him. "No big deal," she said, as she watched him pull on a gray t-shirt. "Jess and Rory are downstairs in the diner."  
  
Luke looked at her. "Jess? What's he doing here? He wasn't supposed to be home until tomorrow."  
  
Lorelai shrugged, and picked up her clothes from the couch. "Uh-oh," she whispered. She hadn't hung up her silk blouse, and it was wrinkled beyond belief. "Um, Luke?"  
  
"Yeah?" he asked, pulling on a blue plaid flannel shirt.  
  
"I hate to ask, but do you have another shirt I can borrow? I can't wear this thing." She held up her blouse to show him.  
  
"Sure," he replied, opening the closet door again. After searching for a minute, he pulled out another blue plaid flannel shirt. "Best I can do," he said apologetically, tossing it to her.  
  
"It'll do." Lorelai smirked. "Endless supply of flannel..."  
  
Shaking his head, Luke put his blue baseball cap on, backwards as always. "I'll meet you downstairs."  
  
"Okay," she answered. When he was gone, Lorelai changed into her black skirt and shrugged on Luke's shirt. Buttoning it, she tied it at her waist and rolled up the sleeves. In the bathroom, she gargled with some mouthwash, (ugh, morning breath, she thought), and took a brush and some hairpins from her purse. Running the brush through her hair, she twisted it up and secured it with the pins. The she dabbed on some make-up and headed downstairs.  
  
"Burger?" Luke asked from behind the counter.  
  
"Yeah, sure," Lorelai replied, taking a seat beside her daughter.  
  
Rory looked at her, and started giggling. She tried to hide it by wiping her mouth with a napkin, but Lorelai heard her.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
Rory shook her head. "Nothing, really."  
  
By this time, Jess, (who was sitting on Rory's other side), had also started laughing.  
  
"Jess?" Lorelai asked. "You wanna tell me what's so funny?"  
  
He just shook his head and laughed harder.  
  
Puzzled, Lorelai looked at Luke. "Do you have any idea what these two find so incredibly hilarious?"  
  
"Not a clue," he said, pouring a cup of coffee and handing it to her.  
  
They sat there like that for a few minutes: Rory and Jess giggling every few seconds; Luke cooking and shaking his head; and Lorelai sipping her coffee, trying to figure out what was going on.  
  
"Here ya go," Luke said, setting a plate of food in front of her.  
  
"Ooo, fries," Rory said, reaching for one. But Lorelai slapped the back of her hand.  
  
"Uh-uh," she said, pulling the plate out of reach.  
  
"Mo-om!" Rory whined playfully, pouting.  
  
"Not until you tell me what's so funny," Lorelai told her, holding a fry teasingly in front of her daughter's face.  
  
"All right, all right!" Rory gave in. "If that's what it takes, you really want to know?" Lorelai nodded. "Okay…you match."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You and Luke," Rory explained. "You match." With a smile, she snatched the fry from her mother and shoved it in her mouth.  
  
Luke and Lorelai both looked down at themselves, then at each other.  
  
"Oh my god," Lorelai said with laugh. "We do."  
  
Luke laughed, too, but his laugh was more uncomfortable. "Um, I think I'll go change my shirt. Just imagine what this town would think if they saw us in matching shirts." Avoiding Lorelai's confused gaze, he turned and hurried up the stairs.  
  
Huh, Lorelai thought. What was that? Out loud, she said, "I'm gonna go upstairs and get my stuff."  
  
"Okay," Rory said, sliding the plate of fries closer.  
  
Lorelai ran up the stairs, but stopped outside the door to Luke's apartment. Wouldn't want to walk in on him again, she thought, knocking.  
  
"Yeah, come in."  
  
Opening the door, she surveyed the room for Luke. She found him by the closet, pulling on a red plaid flannel shirt. "That was a quick exit."  
  
"Well, you know this town," he replied. "They'd probably think we slept together or something."  
  
"Um, Luke? We did."  
  
"You know what I mean!" Luke said, walking toward her. "We didn't sleep together, we just slept together."  
  
Lorelai shook her head. "Whatever. Since when are you worried about what this town thinks?"  
  
"I'm not," he answered. "But I don't want their talk to hurt you." He shifted uncomfortably. "I care about you."  
  
She smiled. "I care about you, too. You're my best friend."  
  
"And you're mine. But…"  
  
Lorelai looked at him. "But what?"  
  
"There's something I need to tell you."  
  
"Okay…"  
  
A piece of hair had come loose from Lorelai's clip, and Luke brushed it away. "Um…well…I love you, Lorelai Gilmore." He smiled. "I have for a long time, but I wasn't sure how to tell you."  
  
"Oh, Luke," Lorelai said, wiping away a tear that slipped down her cheek. "I…I love you, too."  
  
"Really?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Yes, really," she replied with a smile, punching him lightly in the arm. "Did you think I wouldn't?"  
  
"I…I…" He wasn't sure how to answer. So instead, he stepped forward and put his arms around her. Tipping her face up, he lowered his head and kissed her.  
  
Meanwhile, Rory and Jess were still sitting downstairs.  
  
"I wonder what's taking them so long," Rory wondered aloud.  
  
Jess laughed. "I could tell you, but you wouldn't believe me."  
  
Rory sighed in frustration, then got up and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt. "Come on," she said, dragging him toward the stairs. "I'm going to prove to you, once and for all, that my mother and your uncle are just friends!"  
  
Jess shook his head, but let her pull him up the stairs. When they got to the top, Rory suddenly stopped, unsure. "Come on," Jess told her. "If you're so sure, open the door."  
  
Taking a deep breath, Rory pushed open the door and stepped into the apartment. What she saw made her gasp: Luke and Lorelai were standing in the middle of the room…kissing!  
  
"Mom!" Rory exclaimed.  
  
They broke their embrace, and Luke rubbed Lorelai's lipstick from his lips.  
  
"Um, Rory…" Lorelai started to explain.  
  
"It's about time!" Jess suddenly blurted out.  
  
The other three turned to look at him.  
  
"Come on," he said. "This whole town knows you two have a thing for each other. I've only been here a few months and I can see it!"  
  
"You know, he's right," Rory admitted thoughtfully. "Heck, even I've told Mom once or twice." She smiled. "It is about time!"  
  
Lorelai and Luke looked at each other, then laughed. It was true: their relationship definitely had been the talk of the town more than once.  
  
"So you're okay with this?" Lorelai asked her daughter.  
  
Rory went to her and hugged her. "Of course. Luke's great." She turned to him. "You've been more of a father to me than my own dad."  
  
Luke looked a little embarrassed, but he put his arm around her. "And you're the daughter I never had."  
  
Lorelai's stomach chose that moment to growl. "You know," she said with a laugh, "I think my stomach is trying to remind me that I have a burger down there that is getting cold."  
  
"Yeah," Rory agreed. "And I need fries."  
  
"Well, then, let's go," Luke said, and they all headed toward the door.  
  
Rory and Jess went downstairs, but Luke and Lorelai stopped at the top to share one more kiss.  
  
"Luke?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Yeah?" he replied, reaching out to wipe a smear of lipstick from her mouth.  
  
"Plaid boxers, too?"  
  
THE END 


End file.
